Duran Duran Blasts Back into Orbit with Peavey on 'Astronaut'(Peavey | Posted 2004-11-22)  Peavey Int'l. Headquarters—As bassist for the poster band—quite literally—of the so-called "new romantic" pop scene in the early '80s, Duran Duran's John Taylor assimilated his love for funk rhythms with progressive pop, developing a style that defied the expectations of a pop band while bewildering critics looking to stop new wave in its tracks.
Over the clamor of shallow critics, however, rose the roar of fans around the world who understood that Duran Duran is about balance. For each of the band's hooky MTV hits, you'll find far moodier fare within the band's catalog. Compare the bouncy dance-pop of "Rio" to the melancholia of "The Chauffeur" and you'll begin to understand why few musicians have worn the dual crown of pop star and musical innovator. It's a monumental task.
As a testament to Duran Duran's enduring legacy, Astronaut, the first studio album featuring all five original members since the 1983 hit Seven and the Ragged Tiger, recently debuted at No. 17 on Billboard's Top 200 album chart—the band's highest charting since the aforementioned Tiger—and is staking out real estate atop other charts around the world.
Amid this homecoming, the band has also rediscovered Peavey: Taylor's first professional bass amplifier was a Peavey, but it wasn't until show at New York's famed Webster Hall last year that he connected with Peavey basses. A tech handed him a Peavey Cirrus™ five-string bass guitar backstage, and he was immediately taken by its finish and feel.
"When he showed up with this Peavey, I was blown away by the finish—the tiger stripe," Taylor says. "It plays like a dream, and the range of tones is just fantastic. I started using it from day one and after we went back into the studio after our British tour, we recut a lot of the record, and I used the Cirrus on all of it."
Taylor also rekindled his love for Peavey bass amplifiers with a Pro Series™ rig, which has become the standard setup for rock bass players. "I'm a bit of an old-school bass guy," he adds, "and my tech and I were looking for something that could give me that sound but would be more reliable. I have to say I've never had a more consistent amplifier than this Peavey. I've had no problems and it does everything I want it to do."
Taylor's full Peavey bass rig consists of a Peavey Pro 500™ head, GPS® 2600 power amp and Pro 810™ cabinets. In addition, guitarist Andy Taylor plays through Peavey Triple XXX® guitar amps.
To read our exclusive interview with John Taylor, visit www.peavey.com/news.
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